sketchbook ep 35✏️ | work in progress and some new drawings (7 scans) | low vs high pressure illustrations 🎨✨| the blank page syndrome doesn't stand a chance👋 (Patreon)

Hi!

In today’s post I’ll be sharing illustrations I’ve been working on since last Wednesday!

The last time I told you I’m glad I didn’t set up any specific day for these post, but it seems like Wednesday naturally became that day!

A few weeks or maybe even months ago I told you about my ‘addiction’ to sketching and how I want to draw more and sketch less.

This transition was quite smooth and I found myself working in my ‘colorful sketchbooks’ instead of the ‘pencil’ one more often!

That being said, I have more illustrations than sketches to show you today, so let’s goooo!

First off, the finished lilac illustrations! I really like this one and I hope you do too!

I’m working on a few more lilac illustrations (it’s this month’s theme sooo… :>) but all of them are on very very early stages of the process.

More progress on illustration I shared last week. uhh my scanner really doesn’t do the justice pink shades!)

I work on this illustration as a warm up exercise, so I don’t spend too much time on it, hence why it’s been taking me so long to finish it.

I think it’s nice to work on such low-pressure drawing in-between other things!

Blueberries for the millionth time!

At this point drawing them is more about just playing with colors than ‘accuraccy’ or anything. I don’t use any reference pictures since I already made several illustrations of these fruits.

I’m going to add stars to this one (of course!). I hope you’re able to see the sketch of some of them, if not all of them!

Some actual sketches made on a copy paper! (ooops the scan got a biiiit cropped on the edges, but you get the idea!)

Here I was sketching lilac and some bouquets. I traced some of these designs to my sketchbook!

See, these peonies were just traced from the sketch.

As always, I used my Huion A4 light pad to do this! I drew a few more bouquets on this page but it’s far from being finished.

The goal is to make a double paged sketchbook spread similar to the one I shared last week.

Sunflowers!! It’s still a work in progress but these are potential sticker designs.

Oh, I feel quite bad sharing these with you cause I just realized I haven’t shared most of the sunflower drawings when it was the theme here!

I’m catching up sloooowly so some of you haven’t even received sunflower mail yet!

I’m working on it, I promise!

Meanwhile, please enjoy these small drawings at different stages of the process.

And here I’m trying something quite new!

I mean, yes, these are flowers, so technically it’s 100% my comfort zone but the composition is going to be quite different, more complex.

Also, the format is different, it’s my small sketchbook but in a vertical orientation!

I’m going to use this illustration in my book, so I can definitely feel the pressure to make it good. See, I told you, it’s good to have some balance.

That’s exactly why I always work on multiple illustrations. (plus the fact that I get bored easily and always need new things to work on)

Some drawings are super ‘chill’ as I’m making them just for myself and some have a purpose.

Some are definitely in my comfort zone (hello blueberries, my old friends), while other stretch me a little bit, like this meadow composition I’m working on.

Honestly I don’t even do it consciously.

It’s not like I plan to start a particular illustration seeking balance, it just happens very naturally.

Which only makes me believe this ‘system’ really works!

Bonus points for art block prevention – there’s always something to work on, so the fear of the blank page doesn’t stand a chance!

PS. This week I have a lot of social things going on: a family dinner, my fiance’s birthday and… I’m going to a music festival with a friend.

On top of that I have some book related meetings (which is exciting but also gives me a stomach ache, lol) and deadlines!

I’ll do my absolute best to make a catch up series post on time this week!

I hope you liked this post!♡

Love,

Marta